Tom Beyer, who worked the front desk and social media accounts, says his departure has nothing to do with the recent Ford controversy.

Tom Beyer is shown at Mayor Rob Ford's reception desk in November. Beyer, who left the office Friday, was the last member of Ford's original staff and one of the people who convinced him to run in 2010.

Tom Beyer, the last member of Mayor Rob Ford’s original staff and one of the people who convinced him to run in 2010, left his job on Friday.

Beyer served as a special assistant, manning the front desk and managing Ford’s social media accounts. He told the Star his departure had nothing to do with the controversy that has swirled around his now former boss for the past year.

“It was just right for me in terms of leaving,” said Beyer, adding he’s ready to look for other opportunities.

According to the documents, Beyer and Ford’s friend and occasional driver, Alexander “Sandro” Lisi, called or texted each other about 70 times, as well as met on occasion in person, over the course of several months last year.

Lisi has been charged with extortion for his alleged attempts to retrieve the infamous video that appears to show Ford smoking crack cocaine.

On Sunday, he said the Lisi connection “has no bearing whatsoever on my decision to leave the mayor’s office.”

More documents related to a search warrant for phone records could be made public as early as March 19. It is not known whose records police were looking to access, but a source has told the Star that police are interested in the cellphones of Ford and Lisi.

Beyer said he was leaving on good terms, and wished Ford and his staff, who have all been in their jobs for less than a year, nothing but the best.

Ford’s chief of staff, Dan Jacobs, said Ford does not comment on personnel issues, but “wishes Tom all the best in future endeavours.”

Considered one of the most affable and loyal members of Ford’s staff, Beyer said he was the very first member of Ford’s team when he kicked off his run for mayor in 2010.

In fact, Beyer said it was he who convinced Ford to throw his hat in the ring after former Progressive Conservative leader John Tory said he would not run.

“I called and said, ‘Look, now’s your time,’ ” said Beyer. “It was incredible, it was great. He was fresh and it was a very exciting time.”

Beyer said he saw a “vacuum” on the right, one he believed Ford could successfully fill.

He said they were introduced through mutual friends (according to police documents, it was the mayor’s former logistics director and Ford family friend David Price who made the introduction), and met at one of the early Ford Fests.

“I was blown away by his commitment to customer service and his ongoing commitment to constituents, which I thought was astounding,” he said. “I’d never seen that in a politician.”